Retrievable combination bridge plug and packer



June 29, 1943. B. M. DAVlS RETRIEVABLE COMBINATION BRIDGE PLUG AND PACKER Original Filed May 5, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INYENTOR.

B. M. DAVIS June 29, 1943.

' RETRIEVABLE COMBINATION BRIDGE PLUG AND PACKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 3, 1959 Patented June 29, 1943 I OFFICE RETRIEVABLE COMBINATION BRIDGE PLUG AND PACKED Bowen Monroe Davis, Laird Hill, Tex.

Substitute for abandoned application Serial No. 271,528, May 3, 1939. This application Novem-l ber'7, 1940. Serial No.

Claims. (Cl. 166-12) This invention relates to oil well packers. This application is a substitute for abandoned application Ser. No. 271,528, filed May 3, 1939.

An object of this invention is to provide an oil well packer having means to grip the oil well casing when the packer has been lowered a desired distance in the oil well, and means to release the packer when it is desired to remove the packer from the oil well.

A further object of this invention is to provide a strong, rugged, and compact oil well retrievable casing plug of the character described, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, positive in operation, yet practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a. retrievable oil well casing" plug embodying one construction of the present invention, within an oil well casing, with parts in cross-section and parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig, 4 is a side elevation illustrating another embodiment of the present invention, within an oil well casing, with parts in cross-section and parts broken away.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fi 4.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken 'on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings in detail, I designates an oil well casing, in which is suspended by a cable from the derrick in the usual manner, an oil well packer embodying the invention.

The packer comprises a cylindrical body 2, havingacljacent its lower end an enlarged bore 3, and having in its lower end a plurality of slots or rectangular longitudinal openings 4, and at the extreme lower end of body 2, internal screw threads 5.

Screwed to the screw threaded portion 5 of the packer body 2 is a packer adapter 6 formed with an internal screw threaded portion in which a bull plug 1 is fastened. The adapter 6 has for a substantial portion of its length a cylindrical surface, and near its lower end a downwardly and outwardly inclined external surface 8.

The body 2 is formed adjacent the upper end thereof, with an external shoulder 9, and with an upwardly and outwardly extending conical external surface Ill. The packer body 2 is also formed with'diametrically opposed openings ii to receive the pins 49 of the setting tool later described.

Slidably mounted within the packer body 2 is a recovery nipple or sleeve l2, the upper portion having an external surface l3 arranged to .slide on the inner surface of the upper portion of the packer body 2. The lower portion H of the sleeve i2 has an outer diameter such as to slide on the inner surface of the bore 3. The enlarged bore 3 of body 2 forms a shoulder it which acts as a stop for shoulder 15 of the recovery nipple l2 when nipple I2 is. moved upwardly.

Relative movement between the body 2 and.

the sleeve I2 is prevented by a shear pin l1, said pin serving to retain the sleeve 12 in contact with the upper edge of the adapter 6. The sleeve I2 is formed adjacent the upper end thereof and on the inside thereof, with an annular groove l8, forming an annular hooked bead IQ for the purpose hereinafter explained.

Surrounding the packer adapter 6 is a rubber packer-sleeve 20, its lower end shaped with an internal conical face 2| to fit face 8 of adapter 6, and its upper end shaped with an internal conical face 22 to fit an external conical shaped face 24 which is on the lower end of ring 23 which surrounds the lower end of body 2.

Ring 23 normally covers the lower end portion of body 2, and also the lower ends of the openings l in said body. Slidably mounted within each of the openings 4 for vertical sliding movement, is a setting block 25. The setting blocks 25 have inner part-cylindrical surfaces contacting the outer surface of portion l4 .Of the recovery sleeve i2. Each setting block 25 furthermore has an external downwardly and outwardly inclined surface provided with a longitudinal dove-tailed groove 29.

Slidably mounted within said groove 29 of the setting blocks 25, is a lower slip 30, having a male'dovetail section 32, and provided with upwardly pointed teeth 3| adapted to grip the inner surface of the oil well casing I, normally permitting the packer to be moved downwardly and serving to grip the oil well casing when the packer is moved upwardly.

Setting blocks 25 are held in place by their lower ends being positioned between the upper edge of ring 23 and the lower portion ll of sleeve 12. The upper ends 21 of said blocks are covered by a sleeve 33 having at its lower end an external circumferential shoulder 34. The lower end of sleeve 33 is chamfered on the inside to rest against a short tapered face 26 on the upper external face of blocks 25.

Sleeve 33 is provided with a section 35 of reduced external diameter which is telescoped into another sleeve 36. Sleeve 36 has at its upper end a circumferential shoulder 31 which is provided with a plurality of slots 33. Directly under shoulder 31 are diametrically opposed holes the function of which will be explained hereinafter. In the slots 38 are screwed or welded spring arms 40 which extend upwardly and terminate in. the upper slips 4|, said slips having external downwardly pointed teeth or wickers designed to grip casing hand said slips having an internal downwardly and inwardly inclined surface resting against surface l of body 2.

Encircling the sleeves 33 and 36 is a helical spring 42 which bears at its upper end against shoulder 31 and at its lower end against shoulder 34.

The packer is held with the upper slips in a retracted position by a setting tool which comprises an outside cylindrical section 43 whose upper part is shaped externally to slidably lit the upper internal end of the packer body 2 and whose lower end is reduced externally to slidably fit the inside of recovery sleeve l2. Section 43 of the setting tool contains a longitudinal bore 44 and diametrically opposed holes just above the reduced lower end to receive pins 49. Section 43 is also formed with holes 53 as shown in Fig. 2 for purpose later explained.

. direction.

Above section 43 and resting thereon is a head a 45 which is formed with a reduced shaft section 46 which extends downward into bore 44.. Shaft portion 46 has on its lower end and on opposite sides a pair of flat faces 41. Transversely through shaft 46 and between faces 41 is a recess 48. Mounted slidably in recess 48 and extending laterally therefrom through holes in the lower part of cylinder 43, through holes I l in body 2, and holes 39 in sleeve 36, are pins 49 of a' square cross-section, whose thickness is cut away for slightly more than half their length as shown at 50 in Fig. 2 so as to interlock each other when drawn inwardly. Pins 49 are held in place and guided by screws 52 which ride slidably in slots 5| cut in faces 41. Slots 5| extend diagonally from top to bottom of faces 41 but in opposite directions on the respective faces 41. Holes 53 in cylindrical section 43 are for the purpose of accommodating tools for inserting screws 52 into pins 49.

At the upper end of the shaft section 46 is a shear pin 51 extending through the upper end of section 43 and preventing relative movement between these two main component parts of the setting tool. On the top of the head 45 is an externally threaded stud 54 which screws into the coupling 55. Coupling 55 anchors the cable 56 which extends upwardly to the derrick.

The foregoing description has dealt with one form of the apparatus embodying the invention. The method of operating this adaption will now be described:

respectively. In order to do this sleeve 6 .must b 10 slipped downwardly to engage the setting pins, which at the same time compresses the spring 42 between the shoulders 34 and 31. After this is done the shear pin 51 is inserted, thus preventing movement between parts 43 and 46 of the setting tool. The coupling 55 may then be screwed on and the whole assembly lowered into the well on cable 56. Y

As long as the motion is downward the packer moves freely, the lower slips 30 sliding upwardly and the upper slips being held out of engagement by sleeve 36 and the setting pins 49.

As soon as the desired depth is reached a pull is exerted on the cable 56 and this upward movement of the packer causes the lower slips 36 to slide downward in the slots 29 of the setting blocks 25 and to dig wickers 3| into the wall of easing I.

Further upward pull on the cable causes blocks 25 to slide downward in'slots 4 and to exert pressure on the top of the ring 23. The inclined surface 24 pressing downwardly against the surface 22 of packer. ring 26 causes the surface 8 of adapter 6 to bear against surface 2| of the ring 26 thereby expanding the packer ring 26 to form a seal against the inside of the casing Still more upward pull is exerted on the cable 56'which causes the pin 51 to shear, allowing the shaft 46 of the setting tool to slide upwards in the section 43, movingthe slots 5| in an upwardly This causes the pins 49 to retract within the section 43 which releases the sleeve 36 and allows the spring 42 to snap sleeve 36 upwardly, causing the upper slips 4| to travel upwardly and outwardly on inclined surface Ill of body 2, forcing the teeth on slips 4| to bite into the casing and preventing any downward movement of the packer. At the same time the setting tool may be removed from the well.

When it is desired to retrieve the casing plug,

a casing spear or tool on a line may be lowered into the well to catch in the groove l8 of sleeve I2 and hook under the bead |9 Then sufficient pull is applied upwardly to shear the pin H, which allows the sleeve l2 to be pulled up until the shoulder l5 meets the shoulder 6. This stops the upward travel of the sleeve l2 and at the same time removes the support from the inside surfaces of blocks 25, allowing the spring 42 to push sleeve 33 downward. The bevelled inside lower end of sleeve 33 pushes downward on the inclined surfaces 28 of blocks 25 causing the blocks to fall together inwardly, thereby withdrawing the teeth 3| of slips 36 from contact with the casing wall. The removal of the lower slips allows the sleeve 33 to drop to the top of the ring 23 thereby decompressing the spring 42 and releasing the upper slips 46. The whole packer may then be withdrawn from the well on the casing spear.

Referring now in detail to Figs. 4, 5, and 6 of the drawings which illustrate another modification of an apparatus embodying the present invention, numeral designates the casing of an'oil well in which is hung by a cable 56, a cable anchor and coupling 55 to which is attached a setting tool 99.

The packer comprises a cylindrical body 58 having approximately two-thirds of its lower external surface 59 of a reduced diameter and having for approximately the lower one-half of its internal surface an enlarged bore 66. At the extreme lower end of body 58 are a plurality of longitudinal; slots 6| and an internal! screw t read 62. i

receive a bushing 82 said bushing being formed to press in ring 88 and to fit slidingly in the slot The body 58 is formed at the upper endlthereof.

with an upwardly and outwardly extending exreduced section '58 'is a shoulder 85. Directly beneath the shoulder 55, the body 58 is provided with a longitudinal slot 65.

sleeve 81, the upper portion thereof having a sur face 58 ofa diameter to slide freely inside the upper bore of body 58. The lower portion 88 of the sleeve 81 slides on the inner surface of bore 88. Theenlarged bore 88 of body 58 forms a, shoulder 1| which acts as a stop for shoulder 18' .of recovery nipple 81 when said nipple is moved upwardly.

Relative movement between the body 58 and the sleeve 81 is prevented by a. shear pin 12, said pin serving to retain the sleeve 81 in contact with the upper edge of the adaptor 53. The sleeve 81 is formed adjacent its upper end with an internal annular groove 13, forming an annular hooked head for the purpose hereinafter explained.

Surrounding the packer adaptor 83 is an oil resistant or neoprene packer sleeve 15, its lower end shaped with an internal conical face 18 to fit face 54 of adapter 83, and its upper end shaped with an internal conical face 11 to flt an external conical face 18 which is on the lower end of a circumferential ring 18 which surrounds the lower end of body 58.

Ring 18 normally covers the lower end' of body 58, thelower ends of-slots 5|, and the lower ends of setting blocks 88 which are mounted for ver tical sliding movement in each of the slots 8|.

Each setting block 88 has an internal partcylindrical surface contacting the outer surface of portion 58 of sleeve 51. Each setting block furthermore has an external, downwardly and outwardly inclined surface provided with a longitudinal dove-tailed slot 88, an upwardly and inwardly extending external surface 88, a partcylindrical upper end 82 and a semi-circular lip 83. Lower slips 81 are formed with upwardly pointed teeth or wickers 88 and are provided with dove-tailed tongues 88 which ride slidingly in grooves 85 of blocks 88.

The upper ends 82 of blocks 88 are covered by a circumferential ring 85, whose internal surface slidingly engages the external surface of portion 58 of body 58. Ring 85 is formed with an annular internal groove to fit the lips 83 of blocks 88, and furthermore with an internal inclined surface to fit the surface 88 of blocks 88.

Encircling the reduced portion 58 of body 58 l is an annular sleeve 88, the inner surface of the upper end of which slides on the upper portion of body 58 and which has an inwardly directed shoulder 8|. Furthermore-sleeve 88 isprovided with an opening I82 for access to a shear pin I8I.

Attached to the upper end of sleeve 88 are a plurality of spring arms 85 extending upwardly and terminating in upper slips 88 which are provided with downwardly extending teeth or wickers 81, and downwardly and inwardly inclined surfaces 88 intended to contact inclined surfaces I83 of body 58. m

Sleeve 88 is also provided with an opening to Slidably mounted within the packer body 58 is a recovery nipple or ternal conical surface I83. At the top of the 58. Positioned in bushing 82 is a shear pin 83.

Inserted in the body 58 and extending downwardly to near the top of recovery sleeve 81, is

a reduced shaft portion I88 of'a setting tool 88, into which the shear pins 83 and IM extend. Shear pin 83 in bushing '82 prevents relative movement between bushing 82 and thereforering 88, and shaft I88 of the setting tool. Shear pin I8I prevents relative movement between the shaft I88 of the setting tool and the packer body 58.

The method of operating this form of the invention willnow be described:

The retrievable plug and packer are lowered in the well on the cable 55. Downward movement of the packer will not be retarded as the lower slips 81 will slide up on setting blocks 88. When the direction is changed however, the lower slips engage the walls of casing I by sliding downwardly and outwardly on the blocks 88.

Increased pull upwardly will cause blocks 88 to exert pressure on the top edge of ring 18 while moving downwardly in slots M. This causes tapered face 18 of ring 18 to bear on face 11 of the neoprene ring 15, at the same time wedging face of said ring 15 against face of packer adaptor 83, thereby forcing the ring 15 outwardly against the casing I. The packer and lower slips are now set in place.

Further upward pull on .the setting tool 88 causes the light shear pin IN to shear and lets the ring 88 be pulled upwardly by the setting tool 88 and the pin 83, sliding the upper slips on the conical surface I83 of body 58 upwardly against the casing I. A slight additional pull upward digs the wickers 81 into the casing and prevents any downward movement of the packer, and at the sametime' brings the shoulder 8| and the upper edge of bushing 82 against the shoulder 84. A final pull upward on the cable 58 shears th large shear pin 83 and allows the setting tool to be pulled up and out of the well, leaving the plug tightly in place in the well.

To retrieve the packer, a conventional casing spear, or tool on a line, is lowered in the well to catch in the annular groove 13 and under the head 14 of sleeve 81. The sleeve 81 is pulled upwardly, breaking the pin 12 and setting the shoulder 18 against the shoulder H of the body 58. This action removes the support from the inside of the setting blocks 88, allowing them to disengage from ring 85 and fall inwardly, re- 1 devices in which the several objects of the present invention are achieved and which are well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use. In the foregoing description, element 1 has been designated as a bull plug. It will be undera I stood that any other device which is desired to be suspended in the casing, such as a choke valve, back pressure valve, casing liner, and so forth, may be substituted for the bull plug. The use of two of the devices shown in tandem with a bull plug or check valve on, the" bottom of the lower one and with tubing connected to the top of the upper one for use in squeeze-cementing is also contemplated. Other uses for this'versatill: well packer will occur to those skilled in the a As various other embodiments might be made slip wickers into engagement with of the above described invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment herein set forth without departing from the spirit of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings 'is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A retrievable device adapted to be set in an oil well casing, comprising a body formed with a plurality of longitudinal slots, setting blocks slidably mounted within said slots and carrying gripping members adapted to engage the inner surface of an oil well casing, a sleeve within said body having limited sliding movement relative thereto, and contacting the inner surface of said blocks, and adapted to be moved to a position for clearing said blocks, and a shear pin connecting said sleeve to said body, to hold said sleeve in a position for contacting the inner surfaces of said setting blocks.

2. A retrievable device adapted to be set in an oil well casing comprising a body formed with a plurality of longitudinal slots, setting blocks slidably mounted within said slots and carrying gripping members adapted to engage the inner surface of an oil well casing, a sleeve within said body having limited sliding movement relative thereto, and contacting the inner surface of said blocks, and adapted to be moved to a position for clearing said blocks, a shear pin connecting said sleeve to said body, to hold said sleeve in a position forcontacting the inner surfaces of said setting blocks, saidbody having an external conical surface spaced longitudinally from said slots,

adapted to ride on said conical surmeans for forcing said slip wickers the casing.

3. A retrievable devic'e adapted to be set in an oil well casing comprising a cylindrical body, means on said body to permit said body to be moved downwardly in an oil well casing, and adapted to grip the inner surface of the oil well casing when the said body is moved upwardly, a member having limited sliding movement relative to the body, and adapted to hold said gripping means in position for gripping the oil well casing upon moving said body upwardly, a shear pin connecting the said member and said body, said member being adapted to move relative to the the pin being sheared, to a position for releasing the gripping means, so that the gripping means will not grip the oil well casing when the said body is moved upwardly.

4. A retrievable device adapted to be located in an oil well casing comprising a cylindrical body, means for suspending said body in a casing, means on said body to permit the said body to be moved downwardly in said casing, and adapted to grip the inner surface of the casing when the body is moved upwardly, a member normally having a limited sliding movement relative to the body, and adapted to hold said gripping means in a position for gripping the said casing upon moving the said body upwardly, a shear pin interconnecting the said member and said body for preventing relative movement thereof, said body having an external conical surface, a ring.member slidably mounted on said body, spring means face, and

normally tending to move said ring member in one direction relative to said body, a second set of gripping members attached to said ring memher and contacting the conical surface of said body, a setting tool positioned within-said body, setting pins extending from said setting tool, said ring member and said body having registering openings adapted to receive said setting pins, said pins normally restraining said spring means, means in said setting tool operable by an upward pull on said suspending means for withdrawing said setting pins from said ring member and said body, whereby said spring means can move said ring member in relation to said body and there fore bring said latter gripping members into grip ping position against said casing so that said packer body will not move downwardly in the said casing.

5. A retrievable device adapted to be located in an oil well casing comprising a cylindrical body, a setting tool within said body, suspending means for lowering said body in said casing, means on said cylindrical body to allow said body to be lowered in said casing, and adapted to grip said casing upon upward movement thereof, a packer ring on said body, means on said body to expand said packer ring outwardly against said casing upon an upward pull being exerted on said suspending means, an additional set of gripping members adapted to grip said casing and prevent downward movement of said BOWEN MONROE DAVIS. 

